Means for securing convertible top fabric



May 21, 1963 R. E. JOHNSON MEANS FOR SECURING CONVERTIBLE TOP FABRICFiled Sept. 9, 1960 ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,990,646 MEANS FURSECURING CONVERTELE TO? FABRlC Roy E. Johnson, Orchard Lake, Mich,assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich a corporation ofDelaware Filed Sept. 9, 195%, Ser. No. 55,669 6 Ciaims. (Ci. 295-107)This invention relates to motor vehicles of the type having convertiblefabric tops and more particularly to means for attaching the top fabricto the convertible top mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved convertible top.

Another object is to provide a convertible top utilizing simplified andimproved means for attaching the material to the bow structure of theconvertible mechanism.

A further object is to provide means for attaching the top fabric to atop bow member which eliminates the need for tacking, cementing, andother time consuming methods.

Yet another object is to provide a convertible top of the type includinga rear bow member adapted for abutting engagement with the vehicle body,wherein the rear marginal edge of the top is secured to the bow in amanner eliminating tacks, screws, or cement.

Yet a further object is to provide an arrangement of the type describedin which the attachment means is formed in part by a Weatherstripelement which also provides a seal between the bow member and theadjacent body surface.

A still further object is to provide a convertible top including a rearbow member of generally U-shape plan form having a continuous slot ofirregular cross-section formed on the underside thereof in which isrecessed the beaded terminal edge of a fabric top, which bead isretained in position by an inverted U-shaped web section of aWeatherstrip element, the web section being adapted to receive acord-like wedge element which serves to expand the web in the slotportion of the bow so as to prevent withdrawal of both the web and thebeaded edge of the top.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome more fully apparent as reference is had to the accompanyingspecification and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle having aconvertible fabric top wherein the rearward portion of the top issecured in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in section looking in the direction ofarrows 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the various elements priorto disposition in the final assembly position shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the referencecharacter 2 indicates a vehicle body of the convertible type having aretractable fabric top 4 which is movable from the raised position shownto a retracted position within a well provided within the bodyimmediately forwardly adjacent the rear deck portion 6.

Fabric top 4 includes side walls 3 and it? which are joined with atransverse rear wall 12. The U-shaped lower edge of walls 8, and 12 issecured, in a manner shortly to be described, to an extruded rear bowmember 14 of the convertible top mechanism, not shown. When the topmechanism is in the erect position, bow 14 abuttingly engages thehorizontal body panel 6 in a conventional manner.

As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, bow member v1 is formed with a downwardlyopening slot 16, one side of which includes a rearwardly directed grooveportion 18 spaced above the lower surface of the bow. Slot v16 andgroove 18 are bounded by a depending rearwardly curved lip portion 26and a horizontal forwardly directed lip portion 22, respectively, whichdefine an opening 24- extending the entire length of the bow member 14.The lower extremity of the top material forming flaps 8, iii and 12 iswrapped around the rear edge 26 and lower surface 28 of bow 14 andincludes a continuous beaded terminal edge 3% which is adapted to bereceived in groove 18. Beaded edge St) is formed by wrapping theextremity of the fabric around a vinyl cord 32, the overlapping adjacentlayers 34 and 36 being sewn together or otherwise joined to retain cord32 therein.

After the beaded edge 3t? of the top fabric has been disposed in theposition shown in FIG. 3, a generally C-shaped metal trim strip 38 isapplied to the rear edge 26 of bow member 14 for protective anddecorative purposes. After installation of trim strip 38, an elastomericWeatherstrip 4b is applied to the lower surface of bow member id.Weatherstrip 49 comprises a pair of spaced closed convolutions 42 and 4of irregular cross-section connected by an upwardly extending invertedU-shaped web portion 46. Web portion 46 is adapted for upward insertionthrough the opening 24 into slot 16 which simultaneously urges beadedportion 30 of the top fabric rearwardly into nesting relation with slot18. As seen in FIGURE 2, the insertion of web portion 46 causes fabriclayers 34 and 36 to embrace lip 22 and constrict or reduce the size ofopening 24, thus producing a throat or narrowest passage of the slot.After installation of the web portion in the manner described, a lengthof vinyl cord 48 is forced upwardly between the opposed surfaces 56 and52 of closed convolutions 42 and 44 to occupy the opening 54- defined byweb 46. The diameter of cord 48 is such that when in the installedposition shown in PEG. 2, radial outward pressure is exerted on web 45expanding the major diameter thereof suificiently to prevent retractionthrough the throated opening 24. As a result, both Weatherstrip 40 andthe beaded terminal edge 3% of the fabric top are securely retained onrear bow member 14.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a novel and improved attachmentmeans for fabric tops has been devised. The arrangement not onlysubstantially reduces the time required to effect the connection, butalso completely eliminates the use of tacks, screws, cement, and otherconventional time consuming means of attachment common to convertibletop constructions heretofore. It is also to be noted that attachmentmeans in accordance with the invention allows the fabric to betemporarily disconnected from the bow structure without mutilation andin an exceedingly short period of time. Furthermore, when attached inthe manner shown, the connection is not subject to deterioration fromexposure to the elements, such as is the case particularly with cementedconstructions.

While but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described,it will be apparent that other changes and modifications may be madetherein. It is, therefore, to be understood that it is not intended tolimit the invention to the embodiment shown, but only by the scope ofthe claims which follow.

I claim:

1. Means for attaching top fabric to the rear bow of a convertible topmechanism comprising, a slot extending continuously along the length ofsaid bow, said slot being bounded on one side by a depending inturnedlip and on the other side by a rearwardly deformed groove spaced abovethe lower surface of said how, said groove being bounded on one side bya horizontal lip projecting in the direction of said inturned lip, saidtop fabric embracing said lower surface of said bow and cooperating withsaid inturned lip to form a constriction in said slot, a cylindricalmarginal edge on said top fabric disposed in saidgroove, a Weatherstriphaving a body portion abutting the lower surface of said how outsidesaid slot, said Weatherstrip having an intermediate portion of generallyU-shaped cross-section extending upwardly into said slot, and a cordelement wedged between the legs of said intermediate portion causing thelatter to expand horizontally suificient to prevent withdrawal of bothsaid intermediate portion of said Weatherstrip and said cylindrical'margin of said top fabric through said constriction.

2. In a convertible top, the combination of a top fabric member having amarginal edge enveloping a first cord, a rear bow member, a slotextending the length of said how, said slot including a horizontalgroove adapted to receive the marginal edge of said top, a Weatherstripelement having a body portion overlying the lower surface of said bowoutside said slot, said Weatherstrip element including a web portion ofinverted U-shaped crosssection projecting into said slot, and a secondcord disposedin the opening formed by said web, said cord beingdimensioned so as to expand the cross-sectional dimension of said web sothat the combined cross-sectional width of said web and the top fabricadjacent to said marginaltedge exceeds the width of the opening of saidslot. 7 t

3. In combination, a U-shaped convertible top bow having a flat lowersurface, a downwardly facing slot formed in said how extending thelength thereof, said slot including a horizontal groove portionextending continuously along one side thereof, said groove and slotbeing bounded by a horizontal lip formed in part by said lower surfaceof said how and a generally vertical inturned lip terminating flush withsaid lower surface, top fabric overlying the rear edge and lower surfaceof said bow, said fabric having a terminal folded edge wrapped aroundsaid horizontal lip, the extremity of said folded edge enveloping a cordrecessed in said groove, a generally shaped metal trim strip overlyingthe rearward and downward surface of said how in abutting relation withsaid top fabric, a Weatherstrip engaging the lower surface of said bowand metal trim strip, an inverted U-shaped web on said Weatherstriprecessed in said slot, and a cord disposed in the convolution formed bysaid web, said cord acting to expand the diameter of said web at thelevel of said groove sulficiently to prevent withdrawal of both the weband the cord enveloping portion of said top fabric.

4. In a motor vehicle convertible top, a bow member having a slot formedtherein, a throat formed in said slot, a fabric top having a beadedmarginal edge recessed in said slot, a Weatherstrip hav ng a bodyportion located outside said slot and an inverted generally U shaped ribportion extending through said throat into said slot, and a wedgeelement disposed in the convolution formed by said rib portion.

5. In a motor vehicle convertible top, a bow member having a slot formedtherein, a depending inturned lip forming one side of the opening ofsaid slot, means forming a groove in one side of said slot, a fabrichaving an extremity wrapped around an edge and a surface of said how andcooperating with said lip to form a constriction in said slot, a beadedmarginal edge on said extremity being recessed in said groove, aWeatherstrip having a body portion located outside said slot and aninverted generally U shaped rib portion extending into said slot throughsaid constriction, and a wedge element disposed in the convolutionformed by said rib portion.

6. Means for attaching top fabric to the rear bow of a convertible topmechanism comprising a slot extending continuously along the length ofsaid boW, said slot being bounded on one side by a depending inturnedlip and on the other side by a rearwardly deformed groove, said groovebeing bounded on one side by a horizontal lip, a cylindrical marginaledge on said top fabric disposed in said groove, said fabric embracingsaid horizontal lip and cooperating with said depending lip to form aconstriction in said slot, a Weatherstrip abutting the lower surface ofsaid bow, said Weatherstrip having a body portion located outside saidslot and an intermediate portion of generally U shaped cross sectionextending upwardly through said constriction into said slot, and a cordele ment wedged between the legs of said intermediate portion causingthe latter to expand horizontally sutficient to prevent withdrawal ofsaid intermediate portion of said Weatherstrip and said cylindricalmargin of said top fabric through said constriction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,298,836 Vetter Apr. 1, 1919 2,834,412 Velke May 13, 1958 2,914,776HO'EZ Dec. 1, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,033,883 Germany July 10, 1958

1. MEANS FOR ATTACHING TOP FABRIC TO THE REAR BOW OF A CONVERTIBLEMECHANISM COMPRISING, A SLOT EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY ALONG THE LENGTH OFSAID BOW, SAID SLOT BEING BOUNDED ON ONE SIDE BY A DEPENDING INTURNEDLIP AND ON THE OTHER SIDE BY A REARWARDLY DEFORMED GROOVE SPACED ABOVETHE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID BOW, SAID GROOVE BEING BOUNDED ON ONE SIDE BYA HORIZONTAL LIP PROJECTING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID INTURNED LIP, SAIDTOP FABRIC EMBRACING SAID LOWER SURFACE OF SAID BOW AND COOPERATING WITHSAID INTURNED LIP TO FORM A CONSTRICTION IN SAID SLOT, A CYLINDRICALMARGINAL EDGE ON SAID TOP FABRIC DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE, A WEATHERSTRIPHAVING A BODY PORTION ABUTTING THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID BOW OUTSIDESAID SLOT, SAID WEATHERSTRIP HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF GENERALLYU-SHAPED CROSS-SECION EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO SAID SLOT, AND A CORDELEMENT WEDGED BETWEEN THE LEGS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION CAUSING THELATTER TO EXPAND HORIZONTALLY SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT WITHDRAWAL OF BOTHSAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID WEATHER STRIP AND SAID CYLINDRICALMARGIN OF SAID TOP FABRIC THROUGH SAID CONSTRICTION.